If I'd known, I would have actually told them. What sort of dangers are we talking about? Would my character even be aware of them? I'd like to think he would, since he's been gathering information on this place. or Zeiss might tell him, he knows I'm planning to send the refugees to Osteth.

I did tell you to tell them about it. Might have forgotten, don't sweat it. In summary: the Osteth military are dedicated towards fighting the wildlife and that alone keeps them pretty busy. I think there's nothing on Earth that rivals it.

It sure would have been riveting to see Rory use lie of omission on the majority of his own kind known by him to be living on the continent. Alas, it's not meant to be, and kind of against his principles.

So, while I think about my answer to Lefftenant's earnest plea, did you ever decide if Kolson has the knowledge necessary to solve the economic crisis?

I mean, me the player, I've studied the basics of economics but I'm not a master or anything. That said, we both know player knowledge isn't the same as character knowledge and Kolson is a freaking genius and has been thinking about this for a while now.

Method 1: Policy of Infinite Expansion. New markets, new resources, new conquests. All this would require is for Aluvia to continue to expand at a steady, controlled rate, through whatever means (conquest, cultural assimilation, whatever).

Method 2: Autarky. This would require a completely revamp of the entire economic structure, a removal of trade with the other nations, but this is at least possible thanks to the massive variety of terrain Aluvia controls and the massive amount of foodstuffs coming in from Eastham. This would also require the removal of the current wealth distribution system, which at the moment has the aristocracy effectively being the only group with real economic backing, as well as effectively restructuring it from a kingdom to a planned government.

Method 3: Cultural or societal revolution. A complete revamp of every single aspect of Aluvian society, with a shift from feudal vassalage maintaining political power and simultaneously being in charge of all the major companies, and controlling the upper echelons of the military. This is effectively hitting the reset button on the economy by switching to a free capitalist economy and allowing for those currently incapable of doing so to try to make their own ways. However, such a situation would eventually (and inevitably) result in the exact same situation Aluvia is in now as a new caste of wealthy consolidate power in the exact same manner that the current aristocracy did back when the Kingdom was formed initially. This would take several generations though, most likely.

As an aside, all of these focus primarily on fixing the economic crisis, not solving the underlying political difficulties Aluvia is facing. For example, Aluvia spends a ludicrous amount of resources, manpower, and money on their military... a thing which is difficult to 'solve' as cutting back would result in a breakdown of assets, flooding of unemployment, disarmament, or any combination thereof. It's also possible the military might not accept having their budget cut.

As an aside it would also occur to Kolson that a good method of 'dealing' with the Aluvian military problem is engineering a situation in which a huge chunk of the Aluvian military is removed from the equation such that they are no longer consuming such a tremendous wealth of resources, time, manpower, etc. and using that as a stepping stone for reforming the nation.

After thinking some more about it, I'm now leaning more towards method 3. Method 2 feels like a form of societal stagnation. I prefer the idea of an economic cycle which is reset every few hundred years.

I'd just like to put my 2 cents on the table and say that method 3 is basically asking for a civil war, and if one of the sides of the conflict don't put it to an end quickly, we are going to see Aluvia's remaining economy in pieces.

That said, IF we have the resources to strike a deep wound into whoever is our adversary, the bulk of the army not being here helps tons, yeah.

In regards to the battle for Aluvia, I haven't chosen yet. Probably the aristocrats since they would most likely refuse to help the refugees, which in turn would make it impossible for me to destroy my true enemies.

Arch, where do the aristocrats keep their money? In banks? And if they do, what would motivate them to move this money into a bank run by an organization such as the Exchange, except the exemption of taxes? Or would that reason alone be enough?

Banks aren't really a thing since usury doesn't exist in the economics of Primus for reasons that'd take a while to explain (short version: static circulation and zero inflation). Most keep their currency tied up in goods, with hard currency usually squirreled away either in Reliquaries, vaults, chests, mattresses, bags of holding, and the like.

I'm starting to think that 'noble' wealthy patron at the bar I ran into that one time might not be just some random rich snob. My plan is to meet the Blackbrine contact and negotiate tomorrow, but I may look for that guy again, tail him, and intimidate him to see if he's involved in anything. If he is, gods and elements stand by and watch if he doesn't tell me what he knows. It might be important for me to know what race he is, too. For a little flair in roleplay. Again, all this might happen.

The negotiation with the Blackbrine is this: we agree on a price, and then I show them the money. I promise them a third of it once every refugee who's going is on their ships. Once they reach Osteth, they will write and send a letter a contact of their choice, and to Van in the Exchange, that the job is done. The letter to the contact should arrive to them sooner than the other sent to us. When we receive our letter, I will personally take hub transport at an appointed date to the hub in the hub city(date and location should be detailed in the letter to the contact), which will be the meeting place where I will hand over the rest of the payment for the job. That, or Van will do it instead, if he is allowed access.

I won't actually tell them that we have hub access or that we will use the hub. In relation to it, I only give the date and meeting place. Now's our turn to be mysterious, yes?